Howard University Hit by Ransomware Attack, Classes Canceled as Recovery Efforts Begin
Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C., canceled classes on Tuesday after falling victim to a ransomware attack. The institution confirmed the incident in a statement, acknowledging ongoing efforts to restore operations while emphasizing that remediation would be a prolonged process.
The university’s physical campus remained open to essential staff, but campus Wi-Fi was taken offline as a precaution. Officials stated their priority was protecting sensitive personal, research, and clinical data, with additional security measures being implemented to prevent further encryption or data theft. Howard is coordinating with the FBI and D.C. government, though neither the university nor law enforcement has identified the attackers.
As of the announcement, there was no evidence that personal data had been exfiltrated, but investigations were still underway. The attack follows a broader trend of cybercriminals targeting organizations during holiday weekends, a pattern highlighted by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in a recent warning. Previous high-profile ransomware incidents including attacks on Colonial Pipeline, JBS, and Kaseya occurred over holiday periods, prompting federal agencies to urge heightened vigilance.
The FBI’s 2021 data underscores the growing threat: from January to July, the agency received 2,084 ransomware complaints, resulting in over $16.8 million in losses a 62% increase in reporting and a 20% rise in financial impact compared to the same period in 2020. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting large organizations and critical service providers, often combining data encryption with secondary extortion tactics, such as threatening to leak stolen information if ransom demands are not met.
Howard University cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/howard-university
"id": "HOW1774679110",
"linkid": "howard-university",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "8/2021",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Students, faculty, staff',
'industry': 'Education',
'location': 'Washington, D.C.',
'name': 'Howard University',
'type': 'Educational Institution'}],
'data_breach': {'data_encryption': 'Yes (ransomware)',
'data_exfiltration': 'No evidence as of announcement, '
'investigation ongoing',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High',
'type_of_data_compromised': 'Sensitive personal, research, '
'and clinical data'},
'description': 'Howard University, a historically Black university in '
'Washington, D.C., canceled classes on Tuesday after falling '
'victim to a ransomware attack. The institution confirmed the '
'incident in a statement, acknowledging ongoing efforts to '
'restore operations while emphasizing that remediation would '
'be a prolonged process.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': 'Sensitive personal, research, and clinical '
'data',
'downtime': 'Classes canceled, prolonged recovery process',
'operational_impact': 'Classes canceled, campus operations '
'disrupted',
'systems_affected': 'Campus Wi-Fi, operational systems'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
'ransomware': {'data_encryption': 'Yes',
'data_exfiltration': 'No evidence as of announcement, '
'investigation ongoing'},
'references': [{'source': 'Howard University Statement'},
{'source': 'FBI and CISA Warning'}],
'response': {'containment_measures': 'Campus Wi-Fi taken offline, additional '
'security measures implemented',
'law_enforcement_notified': 'FBI, D.C. government',
'remediation_measures': 'Ongoing efforts to restore operations'},
'title': 'Howard University Ransomware Attack',
'type': 'Ransomware'}